During oil and gas well drilling, drilling fluid (also known as “drilling mud”) is typically pumped from the surface down the well that is being drilled. This may be done for multiple reasons. The drilling fluid may, for example, provide cooling, lubrication, and may act as a medium through which communication signals that originate downhole propagate to the surface. When drilling fluid is used in oil and gas drilling, hydrocarbons from the formation that is being drilled come into contact with the drilling fluid and are absorbed by the drilling fluid. The drilling fluid transports these absorbed hydrocarbons to the surface where they can be separated from the drilling fluid and analyzed. The hydrocarbons present in the drilling fluid can indicate the likelihood that the well being drilled will produce significant quantities of oil or gas.